Borussia Mönchengladbach players express support for Rocco Reitz after fan protests in Leipzig

Borussia Mönchengladbach players express support for Rocco Reitz after fan protests in Leipzig

Borussia Mönchengladbach players have expressed their support for squad captain Rocco Reitz after traveling supporters protested the BMG skipper’s forthcoming move to RB Leipzig yesterday. Gladbach travelled to Leipzig in order to contest a Bundesliga match against Reitz’s future club. Head coach Eugen Polanski – knowing full well that the decision to let Reitz don the armband would be controversial – allowed Reitz to serve as captain anyway.

In commenting on the Gladbach fan banners that declared Reitz unfit to serve as captain yesterday, Polanski expressed support for the position taken by the supporters. Polanski supported the right of Gladbach supporters to voice their opinion, also noting that Reitz needed to “live with his decision“. Reitz’s fellow players were more straightforward in backing their colleague.

Borussia Mönchengladbach support for Rocco Reitz

“Rocco is our captain,” Gladbach keeper and Man-of-the-match Moritz Nicolas noted in the mixed zone. “We are one step and everyone supports each other. I would have liked to keep him in Gladbach, but he made his decision and we must accept that.“

“It’s not a topic for us,” current Gladbach and former Holstein Kiel captain Philipp Sander added. “Rocco is sensible enough to know that such a decision would lead to him facing a backlash. We as a team back him because he’s important to us on the pitch.“

“Rocco remains our captain so long as Tim Kleindienst is out with injury,” striker Haris Tabakovic told DAZN “We’re all standing together in order to tackle the relegation battle as a team.“

GGFN | Peter Weis